That’s it. I’m actually going to post this for EVERYONE this time. I dont care how pissed you get at me. I just want everyone to stay safe in the event of an emergency.
If you hear the news of an active shooter, either get OUT of the building (if possible) or run into the nearest room, and close and lock the door. This is why it’s good to know your surroundings and your exits to every facility you enter. In the Baltimore convention center, the doors don’t lock without a key, so bar the door with as much heavy shit as possible (desks, chairs, ect.) Sit in the corner of the room away from the window in the door. If you’re unable to find a room to go into, hide behind a large object (ex. Under the escalator in the main hall) MAKE SURE you silence your cell phone!!!!!! It’s easy to forget because you’re freaking out, but that right there is the big thing that could get you discovered.
One of 2 things could happen here.
1. Best case scenario, the door gets busted in and it’s the SWAT team coming to rescue you and whomever else is in the room. If this happens, IMMEDIATELY put your hands in the air!! SWAT may still not know who the shooter is, so you need to do exactly what they tell you to do so they don’t shoot YOU by mistake. They’ll lead you out of the building in groups; stay calm and keep your hands up the whole time.
2. Worst case scenario, the door bursts open and it’s the shooter. There’s nothing left to do here but fight. Before it gets to that point, work together with the people in your group to improvise weapons and get everyone on the same page. When the shooter comes in, do EVERYTHING you can to disarm and incapacitate them (throw chairs, hit them with the fire extinguisher, throw plushies to distract them, hit them with your props, ANYTHING) Do NOT stop the onslaught until they’re taken down. Use their own weapon against them if you can get your hands on it.
For preventative purposes:
As I said in the last post, take notice of anyone who seems angry, nervous, or depressed. If you see them sitting alone, go talk to them, see if they want the company. Listen to what they have to say, because that could really be all they want. If you hear anyone seemingly pissed off beyond all reason (yelling at everyone they pass, talking under their breath, violently hitting walls and structures, making threats, ect.), report it to con security immediately. If You See Something, Say Something. You’d rather it be a false alarm than something serious.